No abstract available.
Birth Certificates* ; Parturition*

OBJECTIVE: Multiple birth implicates the important health and social problems such as preterm birth, low birth weight, high perinatal mortality, and increased medical cost. This study was performed to investigate the multiple birth rate in Korea using the birth certificate data. METHODS: Retrospective review and analysis of data from Korean birth certificate in 1996. RESULTS: Multiple birth rate was 1.4% of total births(683,043 cases). Mean birth weight was 3.29+/-0.47kg for singleton birth and 2.57+/-0.58kg for multiple birth. Mean gestational age was 39.56+/-1.32 weeks for singleton birth and 37.47+/-2.41 weeks for multiple birth. Rate of low birth weight (< 2.5kg) was 14 times higher for multiple birth compared with that of singleton birth, and rate of preterm birth(< 37 weeks) was 10 times higher. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between multiple birth and selected variables including maternal age, job and birth order. As the odds ratio(OR) was 2.47(95% CI: 2.34 - 2.59, p<0.001) for the second birth, and 5.31(95% CI: 4.99 - 5.65, p<0.001) for the third and over birth compared with the first birth, there was a significant correlation between multiple birth and birth order. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the birth certificate data in 1996, the incidence of twin and higher order multiple birth was 1.7%, and a significant correlation between multiple birth and birth order was revealed. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the etiology and prognosis of multiple birth and the developmental problems from birth to adolescence.
Adolescent ; Birth Certificates* ; Birth Order ; Birth Weight ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Maternal Age ; Multiple Birth Offspring* ; Parturition* ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Premature Birth ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Social Problems ; Twins

Drug-eluting stents (DES) have reduced the rate of repeated revascularization of target lesions. For this reason, DES are considered to be superior to bare-metal stents in reducing the restenosis rate. However, some problems have been reported after implantation of DES. One of them, stent thrombosis, has arisen as a fatal complication. Dual antiplatelet therapy is recommended for at least 12 months after implantation of DES to prevent stent thrombosis. Here, we report a case of very late stent thrombosis that occurred 1 week after discontinuation of clopidogrel at 5 years (1832 days) after implantation of a sirolimus-eluting stent.
Drug-Eluting Stents ; Myocardial Infarction ; Stents ; Thrombosis ; Ticlopidine

Recently, percutaneous coronary intervention has been the treatment of choice in most acute myocardial infarction cases. Although the results of percutaneous coronary interventions have ben good, the no-reflow phenomenon and distal embolization of intracoronary thrombus are still major problems even after successful interventions. In this article, we will briefly review the deleterious effects of no-reflow and distal embolization of intracoronary thrombus during percutaneous coronary interventions. The current trials focused on the prevention and treatment of the no-reflow phenomenon and intracoronary thrombus.
Myocardial Infarction ; No-Reflow Phenomenon ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Thrombosis

Very late stent thrombosis (VLST) after implantation of drug-eluting stent is rare, but very fatal complication after percutaneous coronary intervention. We report a case of VLST of a sirolimus-eluting Cypher(TM) stent (Cordis, Johnson and Johnson) presenting as acute ST elevation myocardial infarction at 26 months after deployment with continued combined dual antiplatelet medication of aspirin and clopidogrel. The patient did not show anti-platelet resistance.
Aged ; Angina Pectoris/*therapy ; Aspirin/*therapeutic use ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Thrombosis/drug therapy/*etiology/radiography ; Drug Resistance ; Drug-Eluting Stents/*adverse effects ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors/*therapeutic use ; Ticlopidine/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Time Factors

Statins have been known to significantly reduce cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease. This review was undertaken to examine the current evidence for the effect of statins in patients with coronary artery disease. Further research is needed to clarify questions concerning the optimal timing, dosage, and type of statin therapy as well as the problems associated with adverse effects.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Myocardial Infarction

No abstract available.
Arteriovenous Malformations*

Background: There are many studies on the vertebral body-to-canal ratio, the so-called Pavlov’s ratio of the cervical spine. However, there are no studies on its relation with age to clarify each bony component’s contribution to the spinal canal formation and its size. The aim of this study was to investigate differences and changes in the vertebral body-to-canal ratio according to age in an asymptomatic population. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 280 asymptomatic individuals. A total of 140 men and 140 women representing each decade of life from the first to the seventh were included in this study. The anteroposterior length of the vertebral body and canal from C3 to C6 was measured on sagittal radiographs to calculate the vertebral body-to-canal ratio. Results: The average Pavlov’s ratio was significantly larger (p < 0.001) in the first decade of life. The average Pavlov’s ratio of the individuals in the first decade of life was 1.09 between C3 and C6 (1.08 at C3, 1.07 at C4, 1.11 at C5, and 1.13 at C6; range, 0.78–1.51). There was no significant difference among the other decades of life. Conclusions We assessed the Pavlov’s ratio of the cervical spine in an asymptomatic population. It is our belief that the spinal canal size is the largest in the first decade of life, and the Pavlov’s ratio becomes almost fixed throughout life after maturity.

PURPOSE: To help predict the severity of ocular complications in orbital blunt trauma by analyzing clinical features of ocular complications and orbital wall fracture. METHODS: A retrospective survey consisting of 169 eyes of 168 patients with orbital blunt trauma who visited Kosin University Gospel Hospital was performed. The patients' age, gender, height, weight, cause of accident, and ocular complications were investigated. The patients were imaged using computer tomography and divided into two groups according to whether they had orbital wall fracture: the orbital contusion group and the orbital wall fracture group. Variables of orbital wall fracture, including the location, length, width, and area were measured using computer tomography in the orbital wall fracture group. RESULTS: The incidence of ocular complication was 27 of 67 eyes (40.2%) in the orbital wall fracture group and 75 of 102 eyes (73.5%) in the orbital contusion group; ocular complications were found significantly more often in the orbital contusion group than in the orbital wall fracture group (p < 0.001). Among causes of the accident, 'flying object' showed the highest incidence of ocular complication at 40 of 48 eyes (85.1%). In the orbital wall fracture group, there was no significant difference in orbital fracture location, length, width or area between the ocular complication group and the non-ocular complication group. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular complications were found significantly more often in the orbital contusion group than in the orbital wall fracture group, and 'flying object' showed the highest incidence of ocular complication among causes of the accident.
Contusions ; Humans ; Incidence ; Orbit* ; Orbital Fractures ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To analyze related factors of retinopathy of prematurity by comparing between premature twins in which retinopathy developed on one twin. METHODS: A retrospective survey consisting of 13 premature twins in which retinopathy of prematurity (stage 1 or more) developed on one twin was performed. All twins were born in Kosin University Gospel Hospital. The twins were separated into two groups according to whether they had retinopathy of prematurity: the retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) group and non-ROP group. The twins' gestational age, weight, sex, Apgar score, treatments, blood tests, and neonatal complications were investigated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the twins except platelet count and aspartate aminotransferase. Platelet count was 191 (±46) ×10³/µL in the ROP group and 240 (±77) ×10³/µL in the non-ROP group, a significant difference (p = 0.046). Aspartate aminotransferase was 36 (±26.6) IU/L in the ROP group and 22 (±5.9) IU/L in the non-ROP group, a significant difference (p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, we found platelet count and aspartate aminotransferase to be significant factors related to development of retinopathy of prematurity. It is thought that these factors should be considered when screening for ROP, although a larger prospective study is be needed before the results can be applied in clinical practice.
Apgar Score ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Blood Platelets ; Gestational Age ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Platelet Count ; Prospective Studies ; Retinopathy of Prematurity ; Retrospective Studies ; Twins*